


An Adventure

by quittersneverwin



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, maybe some smutt later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-07
Updated: 2014-07-28
Packaged: 2018-01-07 22:31:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1125159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quittersneverwin/pseuds/quittersneverwin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is a dire shortage of happy uni Merlin aus would you believe it </p>
<p>That fic in which they are all happy (mostly) and everything turns out well (usually).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In which the adventure begins.

Merlin had always hated school. It hadn’t been the workload - he was good at dealing with that part - it was the people. He had never been included in any part of a group and, as a result, he’d mainly played the role of scapegoat throughout his school years. In fact, Merlin couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t been pinched, punched, or tripped in the duration of a school day.

It didn’t help that he’d been the sort of person that was typically going to be bullied at the sort of upper-middle-class grammar school he’d attended. His parents had died whilst he was still very young and, through a stroke of luck, he become the responsibility of Gaius: a retired medic who now provided cheap healthcare to those who had no other option. They lived together in a grotty council flat and, although Gaius tried his hardest to provide for the two of them, there simply wasn’t enough money to buy ample provisions for the two of them. The majority of Merlin’s clothes had gaping holes and were much too big for him, there wasn’t a night he hadn’t gone to bed a little bit hungry, and his skin seemed to hug a little too tightly to his bones. 

One morning, in the crappy, dingy room that was his own, he peered into the murky mirror on the back of his door and frowned. This was it: his big day. Gaius had drummed into him the importance of higher education if he ever wanted to escape the hell hole in which a lack of money condemned them to. Therefore, Merlin, after doing the best he could at school, had managed to find his way into one of the best universities in the country. As Merlin stared at the reflection grinning back at him he felt the stirrings of excitement beginning to rouse in his stomach at the prospect of a new start. As Gaius called up the stairs to “get his scrawny little arse in gear”, Merlin had one quick, last glance around his room and, with a tight knot of nerves in his stomach, grabbed his case and hurtled out of the room, swinging the door shut behind him.

“Coat?” Merlin grabbed it off the stair banisters. “Toothbrush?” Oh yeah, that might be important. “Clean underpants? Socks? Money?” 

Merlin chuckled and leant against that wall in front of the old man who had been such a critical part of his life for that past seventeen years. He would never, as long as he lived, forget the friendly sparkle in the watery, blue eyes or the sagging mouth that looked far more stern than most of the words that actually came out of it. Merlin hadn’t realised until today how much he actually owed to Gaius and, although he had made himself a promise that he wouldn’t, he began to feel tears sting his eyes. “I’m not stupid, Gaius, I can look after myself.” He tried to force a grin but could feel the corners of his mouth sagging and could feel the slight wobble in the higher pitches of his voice. “I’ll be fine.” He sniffed. God, this was so embarrassing. Gaius lived a fairly no-nonsense life which had left Merlin with a strong control over his emotions. 

Unexpectedly, he saw tears filling Gaius’s eyes as well - which was almost completely out of character for him - as the old man reached for him and placed his hands firmly on his shoulders. “I have every faith in you, Merlin. I am sure you will do brilliantly.” Merlin allowed himself to be drawn into a tight embrace and slumped into Gaius’ shoulder. 

A honk from outside finally made them pull themselves together Gaius released Merlin from his grasp and ushered him outside of the door. “Enough of this dilly-dallying around, we don’t want to be late. That was more like it, Merlin thought to himself as he heaved his bags out to the waiting taxi - they couldn’t afford a car and he had too much luggage to haul along on his old, creaky bike - you could always trust on Gaius for efficiency over sappiness.

A short drive later (and some grumbles on Gaius’ behalf about the ‘’ridiculous price of taxis I’ll tell you Merlin by the time you’re my age getting a lift to the station will just about cost you your life’’) they had arrived at the station and were slumped on a bench trying not to think too hard about the imminent event. 

Far too soon for Merlin’s liking, the train was pulling in at the station and it really was time for him to leave Gaius, his friends (well, the closest thing he had to that which was the old lady who worked in the local shop, Doris, who seemed to have a sweet spot for Merlin), and the only home he’d ever known. And he was so ready for it.


	2. In which Merlin makes a new friend.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin moves into his new room and things get off to a better start than anticipated

Merlin’s chest heaved as he dragged his case up the fifth flight of stairs. He wasn’t strong by any means - in fact he was terrifyingly skinny, with wiry muscles and bones that jutted out from underneath his skin - and, although he had considerably fewer things than anybody else he had seen, what he did have was more than enough to exhaust him. He’d pretended to be lost on the third floor, which had given him a rest, but he still felt like his lungs were going to collapse with every breath he took.

He eventually reached the sixth floor and, having located his room, leant against the frame with his key clutched in his sweaty palm. Although he’d already arrived, the moment he got settled in would be the time his new life truly began. He felt the butterflies in his stomach begin to flutter with renewed energy. Finally, deciding it would be considered weird to hang around in the corridor any longer, he unlocked his door and pushed inside.

Merlin’s new room was a twin. Even with scholarships, bursaries, and loans, he couldn’t afford anything swankier (besides, Gaius claimed this was the best way to make new friends quickly). However, it was definitely bigger than he had expected. That being said, it was still classed as cosy and, if his new roommate had much more stuff than he did, it would quickly become cramped. Despite the size, a room was a room and Merlin had found that he could be happy anywhere so long as he had four walls and a more or less leak free roof above his head. Choosing the bed by the window - ventilation in a room with two boys would be essential - Merlin began to get himself settled in.

Although Merlin had left the door open in an attempt to appear ‘open and inviting’ to his new friend, he was shortly interrupted by a tentative knock. Merlin abandoned his attempt to shove his bag on top of the wardrobe and spun around to grin at the new arrival.

The boy hovering in the doorway was maybe a year or two older than Merlin, dark skinned with charcoal black hair that swept into his kind, observant brown eyes. He appeared to be carrying all his stuff in plastic bags but the thing that made the grin slide off Merlin’s face was the fact that he was almost comically handsome. Merlin’s stomach sank to his shoes at the realisation he was going to be compared to this…Greek god for the rest of his university life. As well as that, in his ample experience, the attractive ones were always the worst.

To his surprise, however, the boy stepped fully into the room and offered his hand.  
“Hi,” he had a faint accent that Merlin thought could be Indian, “I’m Lance - Lancelot - and...I guess we’re roommates.” 

He offered a sort of shy smile; he seemed just as uncomfortable as Merlin, who reached out to clasp the offered hand and introduce himself. “Merlin. Yeah, I guess we are.” Lance’s hand was distractingly warm and soft (dear God, Merlin didn’t think he would ever be able to get changed in front of this guy).

Merlin finally sorted his head out and ended the handshake. An awkward silence hung over the room and he racked his brain for something to say. “So…uh… what’re you studying then?”

"I’m taking the Computer Technology course. I wanted to do medicine but I couldn’t afford all the extra years, you know. Besides, the pay’s just as good in the end." Again, he smiled slightly and cast his gaze around the room. He was now the one trying to conjure up something to say. "And how about you?"

Merlin blushed but he didn’t quite know why. His subject area was small and, when he had previously been questioned on his course choice, it had produced more than a fair share of eye rolls and blank stares. “I’m actually doing Classical Studies. It’s like Greeks and Romans stuff.”

Lance’s eyes brightened and Merlin felt a knot appear in his stomach. He was sure he was about to be ridiculed. “Oh, like that film…what was it called? Troy?”

Merlin had to force himself not to laugh. He was so relieved he wasn’t being mocked and Lance’s enthusiasm was endearing. “Uh, not really. But, yeah, kind of.” Lance raised one annoyingly perfect eyebrow. “I mean, that’s the right sort of thing. That film’s meant to be based on the Iliad but they got loads of things wrong so, you know, I’m not really sure if it counts or not.”

Lance nodded his head, sincere and Merlin felt himself liking the guy more and more. He was the only person except Gaius to take his subject seriously. He grinned and was thankful to see it echoed on his friend’s (could he call him that yet?) face.

"Do you want some help with your bag?" Lance was pointing at the battered suitcase Merlin had been wrestling to put on the wardrobe when he’d walked in. Although Merlin reckoned he probably had the advantage of a couple of centimetres, Lance was clearly going to be stronger then him and, in fact, looked buff in comparison. Still grinning, he nodded and, after a few attempts, both bags were safely stowed on top of respective wardrobes. The two boys then got down to transferring the mess of clothes and books which were currently spewed across their beds. Merlin couldn’t help smiling secretly as Lance hummed to himself on the other side of the room. He felt the first flutters of hope beginning to replace the butterflies in his stomach. He could see himself surviving here after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have had a little bit of a crush on the Lancelot I created. Oops.  
> Sorry I haven't updated in eons I'm a lazy lil shit. 
> 
> Please tell me what you thought  
> xoxoxo

**Author's Note:**

> yo tell me what u think  
> ill try and update as soon as i can  
> xoxoxo


End file.
